Fourth to john h



UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

FRANK H. STANFORD, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO JOHN H. GORWVIN, OF SAME PLACE, AND" BENJAMIN S.

CLARK, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,876, dated September 8, 1885.

Application filed July is, 1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. STANFORD, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, am the inventor of certain Improvements in Couplers for Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompany ing the same, in which- Figure 1 is a top View ofmyinvention,'showing the link, hook, pivot, and adjusting-rod. Fig. 2 is a side sectional view showing my invention in use when coupling is made between two cars. Fig. 3 isan end view of a car to which my invention is applied, and Fig. 4 is a top-face View of link and hook.

My invention consists in the construction of couplers for cars in such a manner that the link, hook, and rod, together with the chain, all as substantially hereinafter described,may be operated as set forth.

Dis a part of a car frame or platform, to which and on which my coupler is attached.

A is a link operating on bolt or rod 9, and its opposite end, having book a, is raised by means of crank rod 0, having shoulder c, which shoulder, resting on link A, at the end opposite from the hook, throws the end of A having hook up. The link A is in like man-. ner also raised by means of rod E.

B and B show the frame in which the coupler is operated.

f is an opening made in the looseend of link A, into which the hook of the opposite coupler falls or enters, 6 being the space in which the hook at operates. The hook a has also a motion or action on rod or bolt 9, which bolt passes through both the link A and hook a. d d are handles operating the crank-rod 0 from the sides of the car, as rod E operates from the top of the car.

G is a linked chain running from hook a to the top of the car, whereby the hook is raised from contact with the link, and when chain G is let loose the hook falls back into position.

The rod 0 has its fastenings or holders on frame B, as shown.

The description of the opposite buffer and holder is the same, except the letters of reference are marked as prime letters, as will be seen from the following description of the operation of my coupler.

, WVhen it is desired to couple the cars, the couplers being in their normal condition, the two cars, having couplers exactly in counterpart on their ends, are backed together. Say that, as in Fig. 2, it is desired to lock hook a into link A. The couplers are brought into contact, the link A lying lower than link A. The end of link A with its opening f passes under the end of A and openingf, and both are raised onto the topof A, and when it is far enough in the hook it drops into opening f and the couplers-are connected.

Now it is desired to uncouple. By pulling the chain G up the book a is raised out of opening f1 and the couplers are released. If

the cars are of unequal height, so that the couplers must be adjusted vertically, the brakesinan, if on the ground, can by turning rod 0 by means of handle (1 from the side of the car, or, if he is on the top of the car, can by pushing the rod E down on the end of link A, raise the link andhook till they come under the end of link A and connection made, all being done without the brakesman coming in between the cars.

Thus it is seen that the coupler is automatic, the planes of the buffers being about or nearly the same. 0 or the rod E will adjust the couplers so that connection may be made.

WVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A coupler composed of link A with open: ing f, hook a, rod 0, and chain G, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specifled.

2. A coupler composed of link A, hook a, rod 0, chain G, and rod E, substantially as set forth,and for the purpose specified.

FRANK H. STANFORD.

When of unusual height, the rod I 

